 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi ,
Heading to Aosta next year and stuck with what airport to fly into.
Would be looking some sort of public transport option or at least a half sensible transfer price (£600 was the last quote from GVA!)
Can get to Geneva , Bergamo or Linate
cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Can you rent a car and drive? If you book hire cars far enough in advance they can be really cheap.
I did Geneva to Cervinia the other week - it's a really easy journey (unless you hit some traffic at the Mont Blanc tunnel) and really pretty too. Think, with tolls, hire car cost and petrol it was about £220 (in a Fiesta).
To Cervinia it was about 2.5 hours, to Aosta it would be more like 2 hours, plus you can stop off at Chamonix for lunch or something on the way if you fancy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
Cant do that as im going to stay a few weeks , also why im keen to keep the costs down , im not in a mad hurry to get there so i dont mind if a bus takes 5 hours as long as its a realistic price.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
There are buses from Linate to Milan Central Station, train stops in the towns along the valley, local bus up to resort.
There is also this but not from the airports you mention.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
cheers , having a look at the websites now , train seems several changes but bus looks ok from Linate , i think thats the one i might go for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@under a new name,
Thats a deadly website , very helpful
Have booked to Linate on way over and found a reasonable flight from Turin for the way back
Thanks for help 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@hawkwind, try to avoid the trains if you can, they are more expensive and it can be difficult to navigate the changes if you aren't familiar. the buses are much faster, easier, cheaper and direct.
if you do take the trains, don't forget to stamp your ticket before you board
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
I cant tell you how long the other night i searched for that website. Thanks so much for posting, apologies for being off topic but wanted to add my thanks 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's great isn't it? Might not get the solution but points in right direction...
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
I flew to Milan Malpensa Airport last month, Aosta is easy 2.5 hours drive away. If you can fly to Torino, it is even closer, I believe there is a train (and bus) service running between Torino and Aosta.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
Isn't Turin closer? I went to Chamaluc in January and hired a car from the airport (in advance). Just about 1 1/2 hours, nearly all the way on motorway. The cost of the car for the week was cheaper than any of the quoted transfers. Also had the advantage of using it to visit Turin on the return Saturday as I had an evening flight.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Why are the quoted transfers so expensive? Surely a gap in the market for someone to offer lifts via bla bla car or if staying a season do a few runs on a weekend for beer money.
I got quoted £600 for a 2 hour journey!
anyways
I cant hire a car as im going for several weeks so happy to save using public transport and take my time
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@hawkwind, it started out with seasonaires ( mainly, ski bums) offering a "spare" seat in their old banger for beer/food money, but it got increasingly difficult due to more regulations and insurance issues, these same people would often be outside dicks tea bar in meribel in the 90's offering taxi services to pissed up holidaymakers at 4am (gendarmes soon got wind of it).
that is why there has been a rapid expansion of legit transfer companies taking over to a certain degree the flexibility bus/coach/train operators could not offer.
if I was going out on my own, I would a transfer co, but 2 or more people for a week away and it makes sense (and cheaper) to hire a car.
there always used to be fellow showheads looking/offering spare seats for the "company", this way there is no problem with hire and reward, but you then take your chances on the driving skills of complete strangers
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@hawkwind, the GVA bus transfer is 50 euro. It takes you to Courmayeur and then you take the local SAVDA bus to Aosta which is about 2 or 3 euro
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@hawkwind, Turin is the best place to fly into most certainly. Car hire from there is inexpensive and can be done on one of the comparison sites quite easily. I was out in Courmayeur, La Thuile, Aosta, and Champoluc for a week or so earlier this season, very straight forward from Turin on the motorway,and easy to get around once you have a base. Lovely ski areas, but not a lot in term of single resort mileage. La Thuile has best skiing, Courmayeur has good atmosphere/food/hotels, Champoluc is quieter midweek and great value on the mountain, and Aosta has link to Pila and is an interesting medieval town. Good choice!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Thanks again folks , can understand the seasonaires running a few folk they met over a week to the airport for a small fee but running a taxi service just takes the pi$$ , so as usual greed spoiling a good thing!
Just crazy people pay hundreds of pounds for a relatively short trip , obv money not an issue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@hawkwind, Aosta isn't really that sort of place though - you won't find many "seasonnaires" as such there. Can I ask, have you been before? Just that some people have mentioned car rental, and if you can do it cheaply I wouldn't rule it out because it's somewhere I'd say is hard enough to get around without a car
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
If I was going to Aosta for 5 weeks I would drive out so that I had the use of the car when I was there.
How much would a Rosslare - Cherbourg crossing cost ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@rjs, it's about 100 euro including cabin. But when you include petrol, tolls, winter tyres, potential overnight somewhere it becomes quite expensive. think he said he's booked his flights already too
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yeah flights booked.
Car would have been great but was too expensive as said above , plus it would be a worry would it make it over
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@hawkwind, have you been to Aosta before? It's quite a lot larger than a resort (about 130k)
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
No never been , booked into the "old town" , it looks spectacular.
As its a longer stay we hope to save money by staying in the town and get the best of both worlds.
My understanding is we get lockers at the gondola and walk 15 mins to get there followed by a 20 min ride up the mountain.
Really looking forward to it , AFAIK we also get to visit other resorts on the Pila lift pass that are well served by public bus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@hawkwind, it's a great place. yeah, you'll be fine without a car once you get lockers - it's too far to walk with skis and boots
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
@hawkwind, There are regular buses from Aosta to Courmayuer and rtn, we used them earlier this year, and I guess to La Thulle etc. also saw the bus to Milan at Courmayuer bus station. Wish I could do a few weeks, very envious of you
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
@hawkwind, there are at least 2 mos excellent restaurants for good value steaks. Of course, I can't recall the names...
I thought I'd posted earlier: no-one afaik is based in Aosta (or the valley) running transfers so all quoted prices are simply taxi fares, hence the high price. Cham Express, who has a clouded reputation around Chamonix, has clearly spotted a potential hole in the market (a hole I am uncnvinced about but that's not my business so my analysis has no weight).
The independant transfer market has grown hand in hand with the independant accommodation and lo-co flight market. What @terrygasson suggests may reflect Val d'espair, but isn't what I observed in Morzine f'r instance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@under a new name, Im looking at xfers into Cervinia for next season. Should we steer clear of CHamexpress ??
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
@skimottaret, I've had loads of friends use the Aosta Express without any issue (there isn't really another option anyway). You know it only goes to Courmayeur though? You need to continue on with SAVDA
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@moseyp, thanks thats good to hear. I hadn't looked in detail yet re the cervinia link.. will do
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@skimottaret, would you consider renting a car?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
probably not as we will be taking groups out..
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
Aosta Express also goes to and from La Thuile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
@skimottaret, oh right. if you don't have to fly GVA I'd look into the airports at Milan or Turin - you might find it a bit easier to get to Cervinia from there
@LOTA, that's true but La Thuile is in a different direction, you'd have to get an additional bus back to Pré Saint Didier if you took the Aosta Express there
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@moseyp, would you be able to recommend any xfer companies out of Milan or Turin. last i checked a few years ago, nothing available
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@skimottaret, sorry I don't have any personal experience with transfer companies because I usually drive, bus or train but if you try Cervinia tourist office they will help you with transfers from the Italian airports. For the bus it's all very simple - here's the Milan to Cervinia timetable http://www.savda.it/public/documenti/175.pdf and here's Turin http://www.savda.it/public/documenti/176.pdf
If I'm not driving, I find the bus is brilliant (I live in Aosta). It's cheap and easy, much better than the trains. Also if you don't speak Italian, they all speak French.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@skimottaret, I don't want to speak ill of someone I have no direct experience of. Maybe worth talking to directly?
My impression was that they run from Geneva which wouldn't be my first choise for Aoste.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@moseyp, cheers good info!
@under a new name, GVA has so so many more flight and transfer options and we find invariably it works out best overall rather than other airports but I will dig further..
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
@skimottaret, fair point at least re flights.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@moseyp, dunno about from Turin, but getting from Malpensa to an Aosta resort via bus to the Gnarly bash last month proved cheap but v faffy. Malpensa 2 to Malp 1, Malp 1 to Milan city centre on train, then a metro to the bus station, where the bus to Aosta goes from, only a few of which go direct to resort...Fortunately admin heard of our plight and collected us in the dub-bus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
